Mossel Bay Police said they fired rubber bullets to prevent a crowd from invading council land on Thursday.

Residents of several informal settlements have been protesting daily since the start of the week, complaining about poor service delivery.

So far three people have been arrested on public violence charges.

Officers were also investigating a case of arson after one municipal building was torched on Wednesday.

The Police’s Vonnie Fourie said they were monitoring the situation.

“There’s still people protesting, burning tyres in the road. Although there’s no violence involved there was again another episode where the police had to use rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse another crowd that came together.”

Solidarity rejects Eskom's offerMail & Guardian 1 July 2010

Trade union Solidarity will not accept Eskom's 8% wage offer and has pushed through certain revisions for the power utility to consider, it said on Wednesday.

"We need more time to discuss with our members. We believe there's still room for negotiations," general secretary Flip Buys told a press briefing in Pretoria.

There were obstacles in the way of a settlement and these had to be addressed for negotiations to be concluded, he said.

Eskom had been given until Monday to respond to revisions, including a minimum service agreement, which the union said had to be in place before 2011 wage negotiations.

Currently, there was no minimum service agreement, meaning workers couldn't go on a protected strike.

"Workers cannot vent in the current situation," said the union's deputy general secretary Dirk Hermann.

The union also wanted additional housing benefits and an external audit of Eskom to determine the state of relations between workers and management.

"We are experiencing real labour relations problems with Eskom ... This break in trust of such a nature cannot continue, or else we will have this sort of dispute every year."

"We want to know why and what is the problem within Eskom."

The union called for a probe into spending patterns at the power utility after it bought World Cup tickets for R12-million and paid R9,6-million in performance bonuses to directors and senior managers.

"This R9,6-million is expected to increase to R16,3-million next year. This will send out a wrong message, so we want to challenge the directors to carry that money over to a trust for skill retention and development within Eskom."

Eskom had revised its wage offer to 8% from 5,5%. Unions wanted 9%.

There had also been disagreement on housing allowances.

Not ruling out the possibility of going to arbitration, Buys said there was willingness on Eskom's side to increase the offer.

While the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa was still consulting its members on what action to take on Wednesday, the National Union of Mineworkers formally notified Eskom of its intention to go on strike next week. The union brushed off the possibility of the industrial action being illegal, because Eskom was an essential service.

The three unions would meet in the next couple of days to develop a joint strategy. -- Sapa www.mg.co.za

Numsa rejects Eskom wage offerSapa 1 July 2010

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Thursday rejected Eskom's wage increase offer.

"Our members are agitated and ready to embark on strike action as part of the measures to convince Eskom to accede to their demands," Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said at a media briefing in Johannesburg.

Jim said the union had put together a team of lawyers to look at the legal aspects to ensure that should workers strike, it would be legal.

As Eskom was an essential service, industrial action could be illegal.

He was not certain when workers would down tools but said they were also going back to the negotiating table with the parastatal.

On Wednesday Eskom offered workers an 8,5% wage increase across the board and a R1 000 housing allowance.

"This offer was overwhelmingly rejected by our members."

The union was demanding a 9% wage increase across the board, a R2 500 housing allowance and six months' paid maternity leave.

Numsa also called on the government to work jointly with Eskom to ensure the dispute was resolved. -- Sapawww.mg.co.za

Public servants plan to go on strikeSapa 1 July 2010

Thousands of public servants could strike next week after the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) failed to resolve a wage dispute, the Public Servants Association of SA (PSA) said yesterday.

"The unions have no choice but to ballot their members for a strike," said PSA deputy general manager Manie de Clercq. "The PSA is in the process of approaching its members to obtain a mandate on the united action from the unions which is to take place to resolve the matter. Our members are very enthusiastic in their support of the PSA."

Union leaders would meet tomorrow to decide what action to take. Yesterday's announcement followed month-long conciliation processes at the PSCBC. The conciliation process resulted in the facilitator issuing a certificate of non-resolution on Tuesday.

"The employer's final offer on June 9 during the conciliation process remained unchanged at 6.5 percent across the board from July 1 plus a housing allowance of R620 a month. The PSA and the other unions therefore did not have any other reasonable option but to request the conciliator to issue the certificate," said De Clercq.

Also meeting tomorrow to discuss a way forward are the leaders of unions affiliated to Cosatu and the Independent Labour Caucus (ILC). These unions have a membership of 1.3 million state employees between them.

The unions are demanding an 8.6 percent wage increase, a R1 000 housing allowance and the "equalisation of medical aid subsidy for members of medical schemes other than the Government Employees Medical Scheme. Their initial demand was for an 11 percent increase and a R1 650 housing allowance.

The ILC said: "The ILC is extremely disappointed with the latest developments as the ILC participated in absolute good faith and did its utmost to reach an amicable settlement. The hope is expressed that the state will reconsider its offer and table a more reasonable offer and not push unions in the direction of confrontation."

The Department of Public Services and Administration said it was "trying by all means to manage the process" and was still open to talks. - Sapa

Protests at OR Tambo AirportSapa 30 June 2010

A group of protesters had to be removed from the OR Tambo International Airport building this morning, the Airports Company of SA says.

Acsa spokesman Solomon Makgale said the group had issued a statement last week threatening to strike but an interdict granted to Acsa declared the strike unprotected.

On Wednesday morning they gathered at the terminal building but were told the strike was illegal and they had to move.

The group of between 150 to 180 people regrouped away from the terminal building and sang songs.

There had not been any clashes with police.

"It’s very orderly, it has had no impact whatsoever on normal airport operations," said Makgale.

A representative of the union was not immediately available to comment, but Makgale said he understood that it was a recently formed unaligned union made of a group of people employed by the cleaning and retail services at the airport, who had been dismissed for various transgressions, including organising and participating in illegal industrial action.Sapa

New union's bid to ground the airport runs into obstaclesSapa July 1, 2010

A new trade union faced numerous obstacles as it attempted a protest outside the OR Tambo International Airport yesterday over pay, World Cup bonuses and the recognition of the union.

SA Aviation and Allied Workers' Union spokesman Levy Mhlaba said the union was told it could not protest at the airport because it was a national key point. Protesters were then moved out of the terminal building.

As the police did not know where the protesters could demonstrate, the group of more than 100 people decided to disperse. The protesters had planned to return today.

Mhlaba claimed that Fifa gave the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and airport retailers money to pay workers a bonus for ensuring the smooth running of facilities during the World Cup.

It claimed that not all workers were receiving the bonus and wanted to know why. However, Acsa spokesman Solomon Makgale denied this as "not true at all".

"We haven't received any money from Fifa. They are talking about an incentive scheme Acsa put in place for its own employees at the airport." He said the company had decided to pay a bonus of R800 a week to people directly employed by Acsa during the World Cup and who were at work during that time. - Sapa

All-in-one poll will undermine local democracySteven Friedman 30 June 2010

FOR some, elections are not one of the most important rites of a free society — they are an irritation which costs too much. Sadly, a key cabinet minister seems to share this view.

Co-operative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka has reportedly endorsed a Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) resolution proposing that all three spheres of government hold elections at the same time.

Not only will this degrade local elections: more ominously, it may mean that a key hope raised by the current government — that it has recognised that local government’s crisis can be solved only by deeper local democracy — is an illusion.

Holding local elections at the same time as those for national and provincial government could reduce them to a hollow ritual. Throughout the world, national election campaigns attract far more voter attention than their local equivalents. Add to this the reality that voters here hold strong loyalty to national parties, and it seems highly likely that local elections held at the same time as national ballots would do little more than duplicate national results.

If national and local campaigns coincide, there will be little or no discussion of local issues and candidates, and so we will have no local election campaigns.

If we want evidence, we need look only at our provincial elections; because they are held at the same time as the national equivalent, we have no provincial campaigns. The ruling party clearly knows this: it does not even bother to tell voters who their premier will be if they support it because it knows they are simply expressing their national preference.

The minister claims that this argument underestimates the intelligence of voters. This is ironic in two ways. First, he serves in a government which, with its predecessors, has repeatedly undervalued voters’ intelligence, relegating them to voiceless recipients of “service delivery”.

Second, the effect of his proposal will be to deny local voters a choice and so insult their intelligence. Yes, voters can distinguish national from local issues.

But, if there is one campaign only, there won’t be any local issues. Parties will pitch their campaigns to the national issues, and media coverage will reflect this. The idea that voters will, amidst the national din, be able to consider their position on local issues is fanciful. This is why democracies all over the world hold local and national elections at different times — local issues will not be addressed in election campaigns if national and local ballots are held at the same time.

A single election could help ensure that voter anger at local government, expressed in years of protest, continues. A key feature of local protest is that protestors usually express loyalty to their party but not its municipal representatives.

Since people retain a primary loyalty to their party, they will not want to vote against it in a national campaign, and so are likely to put up with any candidate foisted on them.

In a separate local election, there would be pressure on parties to choose candidates acceptable to local voters — particularly after recent evidence in the Western Cape that local voter loyalties may be less automatic than in the past. So one effect could be to ensure that voters in townships and shack settlements will still be saddled with mayors or councillors they do not want — and that they will continue to protest.

But even more disturbing is the message which the minister’s preference sends about the national leadership’s attitude to local government. Voters rebel against municipal governments because they feel that those they elect locally do not listen to them — and municipalities do not serve voters better because they see no reason to listen.

So we will have effective local government that voters trust only when municipalities are far more responsive to voters. And this means that local government must become more democratic if it is to work.

Until now, Shiceka seemed to know this — he backed reforms which would ensure that local governments are more in touch with voters. But his support for a single election raises doubts.

The argument against separate local elections is that they are too costly. But why stop there? Does it not cost more to have 400 legislators than to have one? Does it not cost more to hold elections than to abolish them? The favourite ploy of participants in our national debate is to claim that what they do not like costs too much. But the issue is not whether elections cost money — it is whether the expense is worth it. It is.

Elections are not a regrettable inconvenience — they are often the only means citizens have to express themselves politically. They are also sometimes the only tool people have to hold their leaders to account.

Removing from voters the right to cast a local ballot after a municipal campaign in which they have had an opportunity to decide what vote would most express their local needs would signal that the government cares more about costs than about allowing people a voice — precisely the attitude which has landed local government in its current mess.

- Friedman is director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy.

Open toilet Samaritan in hot water over loanAziz.Hartley 30 June 2010

The "good Samaritan" who offered to solve the Khayelitsha open toilets controversy by donating 100 enclosures, has been summonsed in connection with R155 000 owed to a Kuils River businesswoman.

Jeff Fansciscus, the owner of Darrow Pre-Cast, was hailed by the SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) at the weekend when it disclosed his proposal to establish a factory in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, to train unemployed residents how to manufacture pre-cast concrete products, and to donate the first 100 pre-cast toilets made during the training.

On Tuesday it emerged that businesswoman Theresa Cupido paid Fansciscus to secure a R3.1 million loan for her business.

Cupido's lawyer, Dirk Kotze, said: "He (Fansciscus) gave my client certain information that he is connected to the ANC. This information moved her to enter into an agreement with him, but he never came up with the amount."

In a letter attached to the summons, Fansciscus said the R155 000 was "only to confirm compliance with lending regulations" and would be refunded if the loan was cancelled.

Cupido later e-mailed him, saying: "I have been taken for a ride as nothing is transparent."

Fansciscus confirmed he has received the summons.

"It is nothing but a business transaction that has gone wrong and we are prepared to defend it. This matter is sub judice and we'd prefer not to comment until we've finalised our response," he said, adding that he had considered suing Cupido for defamation.

Meanwhile, he repeated his earlier assertion that his offer to help solve the toilets debacle was nothing but a business decision. Although he supports the ANC, there was nothing political about his offer.

In correspondence with Sanco, Fansciscus said he had been out of the country for 25 years due to his involvement in the struggle.

His company was established in Namibia and had worked in underdeveloped areas in northern Namibia and southern Angola.

He also spoke to ANC MP Marius Fransman who advised that proper channels be followed to secure land for the project.

Fansciscus wrote: "Fransman also suggested we quickly forge ahead with a solution and leave politics to politicians. I am aware the Sanco president is an ANC MP and I'm concerned that to ask Sanco to assist would come across as an ANC solution.

"I do not understand the political dynamics of this unfortunate situation and we can ill afford to sit back and wait for the politicians to conclude this 'seemingly childish cat fight' at the expense of these unfortunate people."

Fansciscus, who said he grew up in Athlone, repeated this week: "For me it is purely a business decision."

Makhaza residents, the ANC Youth League and community leaders have welcomed his move to help while Cape Town mayor Dan Plato confirmed that the council was approached.

"He (Fansciscus) sent me a fax and asked for a meeting. I do not have details and will have to meet him first and so I'm not in a position to comment. They ask for a couple of things. They are asking for land. The necessary processes need to be followed."

Snel said: "I was approached by a third party and I helped Jeff get connected to the community. He said he did not want to get involved in any political dispute."

# On Monday it was incorrectly stated that about 50 Makhaza residents had used open toilets for two years. The families used them from November last year until the toilets were removed last month.

Johannesburg ‑ The National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) leaders have voted to go on strike at Eskom from next week.

"They've taken a decision to go on strike. They will mobilise (Wednesday) and go on strike from next week," spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said on Tuesday.

The decision was taken despite the possibility that a strike may be illegal.

"I don't know what to say about that. What I can say is that the council has voted to take this decision and will cross that bridge when they come to that. On any other issue, whether it is legal matters, they will cross that bridge when they come to it."

Seshoka said Eskom's most recent offer was for an 8.5% wage increase and a R1 000 housing allowance.

Unions had been insisting on a nine percent increase and a R2 500 housing allowance. Seshoka said the NUM would only have been willing to compromise on the wage increase if management had acceded to their housing allowance demand.

"They've rejected the 8.5% and the R1 000 housing allowances. If you want 8.5% then the housing allowance has to be R2 500."

Eskom's human resources managing director Bhabhalazi Bulunga said earlier that it was planning meetings with the public utility's other unions, Solidarity and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, on Wednesday. They would also attempt to arrange a meeting with NUM.

Mossel Bay authorities said on Tuesday they would continue talks with angry residents who invaded council property earlier in the week.

About 500 locals attempted to erect shacks on a site earmarked for the construction of a hospital.

Mayor Marie Ferreira met with residents on Tuesday to address their concerns.

But the Municipality’s spokesperson, Harry Hill said they could not be held accountable since housing is not their responsibility.

“The housing is actually not a municipal mandate. In terms of the South African constitution housing falls under the national government and the provincial government. So the hands of the municipality to provide housing are actually tied ‑ we don’t have the funds for that.”

Sanco ends toilet warSapa 26 June 2010

An end to Cape Town's toilet war may be in sight, thanks to an initiative by the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco).

Sanco official Thanduxolo Sithekela said on Friday that a Paarl company had agreed to supply 100 fully-functioning precast concrete toilets in the Makhaza area of Khayelitsha.

Materials, labour and transport would all be covered by the company, he said.

Makhaza hit the headlines earlier this year with a row over the fact that about 50 toilets installed by the council in a site and service scheme were not enclosed.

When the council, which maintains that the community agreed to erect enclosures themselves, eventually put up tin and iron structures, ANC youth league and community members tore them down, demanding concrete structures.

The council then removed the toilets altogether, a move which led to days of protest and several arrests.

On Thursday, Western Cape premier Helen Zille and city mayor Dan Plato walked out of a meeting on the issue convened by Co-operative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka in protest at what Zille said were threats by the league to make the city ungovernable.

Sithekela, who is Sanco regional secretary for the Cape Peninsula, said his organisation had approached the company through a third party.

"What they agreed to do for us is to give us 100 toilets. Fully functioning precast concrete toilets," he said.

The plan was to erect the toilets, using labour from the Makhaza area, within the next three months.

The initial batch would be used to replace those removed by the municipality, and Sanco would then consult with the community on where the rest should go.

If people were happy, the provision of concrete structures would continue as a project until every household in the area was done, Sithekela said.

The council provided toilets for all households in the Makhaza scheme, but other residents have, in line with an agreement with the council, erected their own enclosures.

Sithekela said Sanco hoped the initiative would bring the controversy to an end.

"It will help people because now they don't have a place to go and relieve themselves," he said.

"It will help them a lot, so I think that's the best solution."

He said the proposal had not yet been discussed with the council. Sanco was trying to arrange a meeting, but had not yet had a reply.

"We are not expecting any problem from them because we are just trying to come up with a solution," he said.

"We are hoping they will react positively."

Sanco had already had several meetings with the community on the plan.

No comment was immediately available from the city.Sapa

83 Soutpan residents in court over protestSapa 24 June 2010

More than 80 residents of Ikgomotseng in the Free State appeared in the Soutpan Magistrate's Court on charges of public violence related to protests at the town last month.

The matter was postponed to 10 August for further investigations, Free State police spokesman Captain Stephen Thakeng said.

Seventy-three people were released on a warning, with strict bail conditions, while 10 more would remain in custody.

Bloemfontein and Welkom police public order units were sent to the area on May 24 when residents blocked the busy Bultfontein - Soutpan road.

Tyres were burned, roads blocked with rocks and motorists had stones thrown at them.

A police officer's hand was hurt by a stone and residents apparently tried to burn down a police officer's home, but his colleagues stopped it.

The protests were allegedly over a failed request for new municipal boundaries. Residents want to be incorporated into the Mangaung Local Municipality (Bloemfontein).

They are currently part of the Masilonyana local municipality, which was recently placed under administration. - Sapa

COSATU statement on the Numsa Strike at Southern Cross in Bloemfontein “ Enough is Enough”COSATU 25 June 2010

COSATU in the Free State is worried and angry about the six-week-long strike of Bloemfontein Southern Cross workers organised by one of our affiliate Numsa. This strike started on 17 May 2010 and the key demands are production bonuses/incentives, Medical Aid Benefit, health and Safety and the secondary demand is Job grading and training.

To this stage the employer has not move an inch with regard to the primary demands, which is a clear indication that the company is arrogant and not prepared to listen to the demands placed by the union. This company has been in existence for the past 25 years and white employees continued to be paid more than their black colleagues even though they are doing the same work. This is clear discrimination applied by this company to black employees who have contributed so immensely to the company for all these years.

COSATU will be meeting all its affiliates around Bloemfontein on Wednesday the 30 June 2010 and if the negotiations that are taking place on Tuesday the 29 June 2010 between the union and the company do not come up with positive results, we will be calling all our affiliates to support the struggle of those workers and we will also be considering a secondary strike and this will be affecting all the companies that are being supplied by this company with lawn mowers, machines and wind mills pumps country wide.

We will not accept workers to be exploited in this manner. Enough is enough

"CONSOLIDATING WORKING CLASS POWER IN DEFENSE OF DECENT WORK AND SOCIALISM"

Three strikers arrested, memorial service for 61 year old striking worker who died over the week-endSACCAWU 24 June 2010

Since the beginning of the Dis-Chem strike on 27 May 2010, it was clear to us that the intention of the company is to break SACCAWU growth amongst the workers in the company. To this end we've seen insults and assaults regularly hurled at striking workers on the picket-line. Provocation and intimidation of striking workers has been the order of the day. On Friday the 18th of June, twenty-three workers were arrested and held in custody over the week-end just to be released without any charges or fines on Monday. More recently three workers have been arrested yesterday Wednesday 23 June and will appear in Court tomorrow. For so-called malicious damage of property, however we are convinced that this is just another instance of harassment of the striking workers. We do intend taking these matters up with the ICD as it appear that SAPS are being used to by Dis-Chem victimise striking workers, engaged in protected industrial action.

While throughout the this period Dis-Chem have demonstrated neither willingness nor sincerity to resolve the dispute. It appear that their strategy is to starve the workers back to the workplace to face worst conditions than before the strike started. Already the one worker who had returned to work on Sunday has been dismissed. The fact that the Company point blankly stated in our last meeting on 15 June 2010, that even if we had 100% membership they are not oblige to bargain with the Union while adding that if at all they will consider to bargain with the Union it will only be for 2011 further confirm our suspicion that Dis-Chem is hell-bent on destroying SACCAWU.

This old and outdated apartheid style industrial relations will not be tolerated in our new democracy. SACCAWU have extended its solidarity campaign through petitions that can be signed on the picket line as well as faxing letters to the campaign. Our international solidarity campaign have already seen almost 2 000 meals sent to the company demanding Dis-Chem bargain with the union.

Finally on of our striking members, 61 year old Leah got ill while on the picket-line and was admitted to hospital where she died a few days later. Striking workers throughout the the Wits Region will gather at Ghandi Square on Friday 25th June at 9am. to hold a memorial service and honour the late comrade Leah who remained steadfast in challenging this hostile management.

Despite being ons trike since the 27th of May the workers remain determined and united in their action to engage with SACCAWU. In the meantime we call on the public to support SACCAWU's call to boycott Dis-Chem until they seize this apartheid style industrial relations and return to the negotiating table to engage in meaningful negotiations with the Union.

APF Johannesburg Region march on Friday 25th June to highlight the housing crisis in poor communitiesAPF 23 June 2010

The gathering point is at Johannesburg Library Gardens from 10h00. The march will start at 11h00 and will proceed to the Department of Housing on Sauer Street (between Market and President Streets).

The APF Johannesburg Region invites all progressive community organisations, social movements, unions and other organs of civil society and individuals to join our march to highlight the ongoing and intensifying housing crisis in poor communities. Come join in the struggle to expose and turn back the neo-liberal policies that continue to impoverish the majority and make a small minority rich.

While billions are being made out of the present Soccer World Cup in South Africa, millions living in South Africa are falling ever-deeper into poverty. While additional billions have been, and continue to be, poured into building stadiums, urban highways and high-speed trains – infrastructure that will not directly benefit the poor – millions across the country still live in shacks and sub-standard housing far away from work places and other services. Thousands continue to be forcibly evicted and denied their rightful title deeds. Socio-economic inequality is reaching epidemic proportions.

Despite endless promises by national, provincial and local government, quality and affordable housing remains a pipe-dream for ever-increasing numbers of people. One of the main reasons for this is that government continues to rely on private banks and construction corporates as the main housing ‘delivery’ agent. To add insult to injury, where housing projects have been undertaken in poor communities, most have been completely abused and undermined by widespread corruption of public officials and ‘private’ tenderpreneurs. Besides the disappearing millions and the shoddy construction, there is also the illegal selling of people’s houses by these corrupt and venal criminals.

Without decent, affordable publicly provided housing, there can be no enjoyment of most basic services, no personal and community security, no human dignity. We will not stand idly by and accept this so-called ‘reality’. We want change and we want it now!

Blikkiesdorp residents were forced to pull the plug on a planned housing protest due to a lack of support.

The Delft Anti‑eviction Campaign organised a march to the mayor’s office on Wednesday morning.

It says living conditions within the temporary relocation area in Delft are inhumane.

One woman said despite the lacklustre show of support from Blikkiesdorp residents, their concerns should not be overlooked.

“Where are the people that are supposed to give us houses? They’re dead. You don’t see them, you don’t hear them at all, because it’s not their problem, it’s your problem. Yet they say, two months, three months, you will be in houses,” she said.

On Friday, twenty three striking Dis-Chem in Midrand was arrested and held over week-end and was released this morning without any charges laid against them. This intimidation by management of striking workers, with the active support from sections of the SAPS. The arrests occurred after striking workers confronted the store and centre management for violating the CCMA strike and picket-rules by taking photographs of workers on the picket-line. The picket-rules clearly stipulate that management should not take photographs of workers on the picket-line. Bosses use this as a tactic to intimidate and deliberately provoke striking workers. The fact that the workers we held over the week-end and no charges were laid against them is of great concern for us. We are investigating the facts around the incident and consider reporting the SAPS members actions to the ICD to investigate as well as taking further legal action.

In the meantime Dis-Chem continue to spread lies and misrepresent the facts about the dispute in a desperate attempt to mislead the public and slander SACCAWU. It is incorrect that Dis-Chem have granted workers a 10% across the board increase, the truth is a large number of workers only received much less than the 10% increase with many, mainly SACCAWU members, received no increases at all with others receiving only 3%. At the same time many workers still earn less than R3 000-00 per month.

It is clear that the intention of Dis-Chem to smash the Union. This old apartheid style Industrial Relations have no place in our new democracy and we will fight against it. We call on the public to support the striking workers and boycott Dis-Chem.

Workers demand that• Meaningful engagement with our Union aimed at meeting the following fair and reasonable demands: • A minimum wage of R 3 500-00 per month; • An across the board increase of 15%; • All casual employees should be converted to permanent full-time employees after three months of employment; • Parental Rights; a subsidized Medical Aid Scheme; a housing subsidy and meaningful long service awards. • An immediate end to all forms of harassment and intimidation of workers who are currently on strike and are exercising their right to picket; • That the Company should practice cordial industrial relations.

SAMWU in the Free State will March until shoes are worn out! Over grave concerns of corruptionSAMWU PRESS STATEMENT 17 June 2010.

Numerous acts of corruption and maladministration continues in local municipalities in the Free State province on a daily basis, to make matters worse this corruption and maladministration continues to be justified as Good Governance.

SAMWU, the largest Local Government Union has since March 2010 been engaging with the administration of Limpopo over issues of corruption and maladministration, headed by Premier Mathale, ANC provincial structures and regional structures without any success.

SAMWU is sincerely concerned about the recent Vhembe Regional Executive Committee political decision, to redeploy one of the most corrupt Musina Municipal Managers, of which the Premier instructed and stopped the move and its implementation.

The Municipal Manager in question still continues to award tenders to friends, without tender advertisements. All of the above with evidence has been brought to the attention of the Premier by SAMWU, but nothing has been done to root out the grave forms of corruption evident in the Free State Province.

The Union is convinced that the head of Provincial Administration is protecting some individuals who are corrupt to the core, even after being made aware of their corrupt activity.

To mention but one incident of corruption that took place in the province; Ba-Phalaborwa Information Centre was set to spend R250 000 on a project but mysteriously, at the completion of the project the sum of5 Million Rand was claimed.

These are serious concerns and SAMWU believes that Mass Action is now the only solution, in dealing with such blatant forms of corruption.

Numerous memorandums, with evidence have been forwarded to the Premier with regard to corruption in the Province but to date; we have not received any feedback from the Premier. Workers have indicated that they are sick and tired of corruption and willing to march until their shoes are worn out!

SAMWU and its Federation COSATU will embark on mass action over corruption in the Province. The community as well as Church organizations will be mobilized to take part in the strike action.

Finally we are calling upon the urgent intervention by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka. We are calling on the Minister to immediately establish a task team to act on corruption in the Free State Province and to act on the evidence of this corruption the Union has in its possession.